To create a path
by datawolf39
Summary: Sev gets a chance to change the future. K plus for now rating may change. Genre also will change.
1. Out of Canon

Harry bent over him, and Severus seized the front of his robes and pulled him close. A terrible rasping, gurgling noise issued from his throat. "Take . . . it. . . . Take . . . it. . . ." Something more than blood was leaking from Severus. Silvery blue, neither gas nor liquid, it gushed from his mouth and his ears and his eyes, and Harry knew what it was, but did not know what to do. A flask, conjured from thin air, was thrust into Harry's shaking hand by Hermione.

Harry lifted the silvery substance into it with his wand. When the flask was full to the brim, and Snape looked as though there was no blood left in him, his grip on Harry's robes slackened. "Look . . . at . . . me. . . ." he whispered.  
The green eyes found the black, but after a second, something in the depths of the dark pair seemed to vanish, leaving them blank, and empty. The hand holding Harry thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more.

* * *

Severus Snape awoke to the feeling that something was wrong. He was dead wasn't he? So how was it possible that he was waking up?

"Sev?" asked a voice that was so familiar to him that he very nearly cried. He would always know that voice.

"Lily," he whispered in disbelief, as though his voice would blow her away if he were too loud. He stood and looked into that familiar face seeing the green eyes that he had looked into as he died. Was this Heaven? It had to be if Lily was here.

"Hello Sni-," another voice said. The figure of James Potter appeared beside his love and Severus was confused. If James was here he was in Hell but his sweet Lily would never be in Hell.

"Shut up James!" roared Lily as she cuffed her idiot husband about the head as though he were a child.

"Ow," said the man theatrically before turning his attention back to Snape. "Hello Severus," the man said.

"James." Snape stated coldly not wanting to spend a moment of the afterlife with his childhood bully.

James smiled ruefully as the response that he had gotten. "I know that you hate me but I am sorry. I was a prat back in school and I know that isn't a good reason but I hope you'll forgive me someday."

Snape didn't want an apology. It changed nothing.

Ignoring the other man he asked, "Where am I?"

Sighing Lily spoke. "You're at a crossroads Sev. You can choose to stay here and pass on or you can have a chance to set things right."

"What?"

"The War was won Sev. But there were so many lives lost to bring about such an outcome. So many lives Sev. So many families torn apart."

"What can I do Lily?" Severus asked immediately hating to see the woman that he had loved for so long brought to tears.

"You can go back Sev and change things."

"Back when?" he asked hoping against hope.

"To 1991 Sev. The year Harry started Hogwarts. A time when there was calm before the storm that was to come. I know it's a lot to ask Sev I really do. But I'm asking you to do this please. I need you to care for my son and to save the innocent ones that should never have died."

What was the point of going back if he could not save the woman that he loved? The boy was fine he would live and have kids.

As thought reading his thought's James spoke again. "He will never forget what the cost of the War was. Sometimes he will be able to not think of the losses he and others have suffered but he will never forget. Reminders of what happened will always be there. I know you hate me for what I represent to you but my son is not me. He is nothing like I was at that age. Don't you know that? Can't you see that? Harry is nothing but a boy. He is an innocent Severus, a victim of circumstance. He is himself though, no matter what he looks like on the outside."

Severus glared at James. He didn't want to think about the fact that the boy had suffered. It made the boy far too human in his eyes. It was so much easier to detest him for his father and keep him alive because of his mother. If he was honest, though, he had known that the boy was different from his father after the failed attempts to teach the boy to shield his mind. He had seen the dark memories. But that wasn't all that he had caught glimpses of. There were other things that he had seen without the boy knowing about it. But by then there was nothing to be done for the path that lay before him was far too well defined and there was nothing that he could do about it. 'But you can now,' said an inner voice.

Severus sighed he hadn't really had a choice. Even if he had not grown to somewhat respect the boy he could never deny Lily in life or in death.

"I'll try," he whispered making eye contact with Lily. Then he said something that he knew that he might not have the chance to say ever again. "I love you Lily. I'll try because of that and not for any other reason."

Lily didn't say anything but she did hug him. All too soon she was being pulled away by James.

Severus looked at the other man expecting to find fury but instead saw a calmness in the other man. James gave him a brief nod and then stepped closer. "You have to go now." He said. Then he stepped closer and whispered, "I might wince but I will not turn in my grave when it happens," and with that cryptic remark the man placed his hand in the center of Severus's chest and pushed him over an edge that he had not even been aware of.

**A/n I swore to myself that I wouldn't do another Harry Potter story so here this is. I know that this has been done before by other authors but I want to write Severus again because he is too much fun to mess with. So should I get this ball rolling or leave it alone to finish/create other fanfic. Oh and the top portion is not mine. It was taken from DH and altered only a little bit to make it more from Severus's POV.**


	2. Into the past

Chapter two

Into the past

**A/n it seems that I have gone and done it now. Another long HP story seems to be in the cards for me. Just know if people are mad about my other stories not being updated as fast it is all you reviewers fault *cackles evilly*. On a serious note thanks for reviewing cause I do want to see where this goes and I was just thinking about for far too long last night. So despite my looming exam I will continue this.**

* * *

When Severus awoke he found much to his own surprise that he was in his quarters. Not the ones that he had had for years but the ones in the Dungeons where he had always felt at home. What had been the dream? Did he really go to the crossroads and see Lily and Potter or had he merely dreamt all of the future that he had seen. Surely if he was still in the future he would have awoken in St. Mungo's, Azkaban, of under a mound of dirt.

Suddenly there was a knock at his portrait and hesitantly he went over to open it. There before him stood Minerva McGonagall. For a moment he stiffened in fear. The last that he had seen of the formidable lioness she had been trying to hex him into oblivion not that he blamed her of course but that leaves a mark on a person. Now though she was merely looking at him first with irritation and then after noticing the way that he slightly backed away she looked onto her former pupil with concern.

"Severus are you alright?" She asked.

"Fine," he grumbled attempting to adopt his usual persona. But it was so hard to do that now after all that he had lived through. But he was a Slytherin and he could and would do it even if it cost him his life once again. After all he had made a promise to Lily even if she had been a dream.

Minerva had not taught this long without getting a feel for when people were lying to her. But she also knew that Severus wouldn't confide in unless he wanted to. So she put aside the maternal feelings that she had toward her fellow teacher knowing full well that he would berate her for treating him like a child and got back to the matter at hand. "You're late for the meeting Severus."

'Meeting?' Severus thought. Outwardly he showed no reaction however. With a hand gesture he told her to lead on.

Minerva sighed and walked ahead. Severus could be so difficult sometimes.

On the way to the meeting room he remembered that this must have been the last meeting before term started. In that case he had already changed the future he had been right on time the first time around that was of course if he had been put in the past and it was rapidly seeming that way.

"Hello Severus. Is everything quite alright?" Dumbledore asked as the Potions Master walked into the room.

"Everything is perfectly fi-," Severus began to respond. It had become a habit, a natural response to the inquiry when it was asked by the Headmaster. A verbal interplay that had not been in effect since the day that Albus died at his hand. Just. Like. They. Planned. It just hit him and all of a sudden it was a tad bit hard to breathe. He was in the past how else could Albus be alive and well teasing the person that had killed him.

Severus wanted to hug the man and beat him senseless at the same time but he knew that either of those actions would cause concern and people would ask questions that he wasn't able to answer. The only option was a brief retreat in order to get himself together.

'You missed him.' Said the inner voice. 'It didn't matter that he was already dying you killed him and you feel guilty.'

'Shut up!' he roared at his innerself.

'I am you Severus. I am your thoughts. So admit it you love the only man that had treated you as a father should.'

It was true. He did care for the old loony but that didn't mean that he had to admit it.

"I will return," he muttered trying hard for his usual impassiveness but knowing he hadn't succeeded when he heard the crack in his voice. Before he could be question he swept out of the room and down the hall to the nearby loo.

He looked at himself in the mirror. He looked bad so tired and weighed down more so than was normal even for him. He was used to the weight of choices but now he knew the outcomes and he knew that he would have to tread softly to avoid changing outcomes to much otherwise his knowledge of the future wouldn't matter in the slightest.

'Severus you cannot do this.'

"Yes I can," he responded to the thought hearing the uncertainty in his tone.

'You are arguing with yourself does that not prove that you are unable to bear this weight alone. Just look at yourself Severus.'

Severus bowed his head and closed his eyes after catching another glimpse of himself in the mirror. Perhaps he was going crazy after all talking to yourself and answering was the first sign right. The thought was somewhat funny and he startled himself with a brief chuckle. How long had it been since he had genuinely heard that sound from himself.

His eyes slowly misted over. He refused to cry he had not done so in years and now was not the time to start. He took deep breathes and slowly exhaled. He repeated this until the tear were averted. He concentrated on a plan of action he had no time for weakness lives were on the line.

'Don't forget to care for yourself,' said the inner voice sounding oddly Dumbledore like.

'I don't matter.' He sneered at it. Severus didn't deserve to matter not after what he had done. He was useful but when a time that was absent of the Dark Lord came he would be useless and his life pointless. As far as he was concerned this business had started with his death and it would end with it as well.

Suddenly there was a lack of air once again and things went black.

Dumbledore was quite concerned Severus had waltzed off more than fifteen minutes ago. He stood and left the room. None of the professors or Madame Pomfrey needed the reason for this they were concerned for Severus as well.

"Point me to Severus," Albus said with a flick of his wand. He grinned slightly. That spell had been concocted to find children that had wandered off from their parents. Albus had always felt paternal towards Severus and that was what allowed the spell to work.

When Albus arrived he found Severus laying on the ground, he immediately rushed over fearing the worst. Apart from the irregular breathing pattern the man seemed fine. "Fawkes," he called out. When the phoenix appeared he said, "Can you bring Poppy and Minerva here please?"

The phoenix trilled and disappeared.

"Severus," Albus said softly leaning against the wall and pulling the man against himself.

The dark eyes snapped open connecting with his mentor's. If Severus had the energy he would have been embarrassed. But he didn't so he relaxed a bit and allowed himself to be comforted.

"Albus?" Minerva called out when she and the Medi-witch arrived.

The Headmaster placed a finger to his lips and beckoned the females closer.

Poppy instantly ran her wand in a diagnostic. "He's completely exhausted." She said. "His body is under an unusual amount of stress as well from some form of trauma." She said glaring slightly at the unconscious Potions Master. She had been telling him for a while now to slow down and rest more but had the boy listened. No! He just flounced around like a great big bat not getting rest because _obviously_ he knew best and even though she was the medical expert around here who was she to give him orders. "If this doesn't kill him I will." She muttered darkly much to the others amusement. It took quite a bit to get Poppy to set aside her calm disposition to utter death threats. Despite her death threats though, Poppy was gentle both transporting Severus to the hospital wing and treating him after all she was a healer.

* * *

**A/n the end of ch. 2 **

**It's kind of a filler but it had to happen. Before anyone says Sev was OOC let me say that he will be grouchy Sev soon enough the dude is stressed though and the pressure of being a spy, creating a better future along with experiencing death is enough to get anyone to have a panic attack. Heap onto that, that Albus is alive and well and none of the professors are glaring or attacking him and I think Sev is doing just fine.**

**That's my official reason anyway. I also like H/C and Albus getting to be affectionate with Sev it's my weakness. Anyway I think Harry will be in the next chapter and Sev is gonna get a bit of a shock. So stay tuned. **

**Pls voice comments, concerns and requests in a review. **


	3. Harry Potter

**Chapter three **

**Harry Potter**

* * *

Severus awoke to filtered sunlight streaming in stripes across his body. He was a bit surprised by this until he saw that he was in the Hospital Wing and not his quarters in the dungeons. He frowned he couldn't remember coming to the Hospital Wing. All he remembered was escaping to the toilets before he could embarrass himself in front of his colleagues and then everything was a bit of a blur. It was a bit disconcerting to not have memories of the events after that.

Severus pushed himself to remember he couldn't forget anything because it might effect something in the time line. But try as he might not much more of what happened comes to him and all he succeeded in doing is becoming more tired than he already was. Severus was sure that the medi-witch was not going to appreciate that one bit.

"Severus."

The Potions Master startled at that. He was seriously going to have to have a serious talk with himself because he hadn't even noticed the Headmaster had come into the Hospital Wing. If this kind of nonobservance continued he was going to be dead long before he got the chance to positively effect the future.

Severus hid his shock as best he could and attempted to get up from the bed.

"Don't even try Severus." Albus said forcing him back down. "Poppy has ordered you to relax. She was quite upset with the results of her diagnostic on you my boy. So I suggest you do nothing that would infuriate her further."

"What am I supposed to do then?" Severus asked instead of badmouthing the medi-witch. He wasn't an idiot he knew what battles that he had to avoid. "Lay here like an invalid until the start of term?"

"Heavens no." Albus said with that darn twinkle in his eyes. Severus glared at that. He hated with Albus treated him like a child and more than that hated that twinkle. "She said you need to rest and relax. So I hereby order you to have some fun."

That was a good idea. There were a few potions that he had wanted to brew anyway.

"And that doesn't mean go and make potions all day." Albus said.

There went that twinkle again. Severus wanted to curse how did the old man know what he was thinking even without using legilimency.

"Promise me Severus."

"Alright, alright I promise." Severus said trying not to sound as though he were whining because he did not whine ever.

'Yes you do,' said the inner-voice.

"Yes you do." Albus echoed unknowingly as he swept out of the hospital wing.

Severus fumed. Not only was Albus responding to his thoughts without reading his mind now he was preventing himself from telling himself a lie. He had the feeling that this wouldn't be the only time that he wished he hadn't agreed to come change the time lime.

Thanks to his inability to lie to the old coot he went out of the castle and headed for the Leaky Cauldron. He decided he was going to have a drink and _then_ he was going to go back to the castle and brew potions. He had told the man that he wouldn't brew potions all day not that he wouldn't at all. 'Take that Albus' he grinned to himself as he got dressed.

The first thing he did after getting to the pub was scan it. It was a reflexive action born because everyone was out to kill him. Then he remembered that this was '91 and relaxed a little bit to go and get a drink. Much too his surprise Quirrell entered the pub a little while after he did.

For a moment he hesitated. He knew that Quirrell was a threat now and he wondered how he was going to deal with him. In thinking of the fact that the Dark Lord had been so close to Potter in the first year several things suddenly became clear. The boy's scar had burned that first day in the Great Hall that was why the boy had been looking at him. Quirrell was seated next to him and because of his naturally evil disposition the boy had assumed that he was in fact a bad guy. Then after the incident with Fluffy nicking him it was hardly a wonder that the idiot Gryffindor had put the puzzle together all wrong. What's worse was that the Dark Lord was in Hogwarts for so long interacting with the students. Who knew what effects that had, had on the boy with a link as strong as the one between Harry and the Dark Lord. Could it be possible that even then Lord Voldemort had been entering the boy's mind and weakening it? The Dark Lord was powerful and having been raised by muggles the boy wouldn't even understand that he could be mentally attacked.

Severus shook away the thoughts it wouldn't do if he were to arouse suspicion.

"G-g-good d-day S-s-snape."

Severus tried not to wince. How was it that he had been fooled by this man? "Quirrell." He said not bothering to look at the man.

"I h-heard y-y-you w-w- were i-ill."

"I'm fine now leave me be." Snape sneered.

Quirrell bowed his head like the meek man he was pretending to be and left the pub.

A few minutes later Severus was ready to leave the pub when he heard a commotion start. He tuned in to the whispers around him until he heard that Harry Potter had walked into the room. He turned and looked. Sure enough making his way through the crowd with Hagrid was a skinny little black-haired boy. His clothes were far to large and it was merely do to his fame and a lack of understanding of muggle fashion that nobody said anything.

But Severus had spent far more time than he had liked around muggles and it was obvious to him that this was wrong. In the boy's mind during his fifth year at Hogwarts he had seen that Petunia and her whale of a husband did not like the boy. Furthermore he had seen that the son of that horrific union had done more than verbally insult Potter. But the memories that he had seen had all occurred after Potter was at least thirteen. He had always thought that it was do to the magic that the boy was punished by his family. But now seeing him in hand-me-downs that were far to large showing off just how small he was Severus could see that the abuse went back further than the memories that he had seen. Robes hid that small figure from him and add to that he hate goggles for the spawn of Potter and the fact that the boy had been sorted into Gryffindor house it wasn't really a wonder that he had failed to see this the first time around.

This time would be different. While he didn't really have a cuddly bone in his body, he could issue a few detentions just to help the boy mature both mentally and physically after all he needed to be able to combat the Dark Lord with less causalities this time around.

"Ah hello professor," Hagrid greeted.

"Hagrid." Snape said purposely not looking at the boy.

"This here be young Harry. Were on our way to get his supplies. Harry this is Professor Snape he teaches Potions at Hogwarts."

"Hello Sir," Harry said shyly.

For a moment Severus was surprised by the lack of hatred in the boy's tone but then he realized that the boy had no reason to hate him because this was their first meeting.

"Hello Potter. As Hagrid said I'll be your Potions professor. Don't expect me to worship the ground you walk on though. Famous though you may be you will get no favoritism from me.

"Yes sir," the boy said with a timid smile on his features.

That shocked Severus. The boy was happy that he wasn't going to pamper him. Had he really been so blind the first time around? This boy was nothing like he had thought and he found much to his own surprised that he wanted to see just how bias his perceptions of the boy had been.

Severus rose from the stool that he was sitting on. "You're on an assignment from the Headmaster?" Severus asked as they walked out the pub into what was apparently a dead end.

"Yes I have to pick up a parcel from Gringotts for him. I was going to take Harry here to his vault as well."

"You take care of that and I will help the boy through his list until you finish that errand, he can visit his vault at another time."

"That's awful nice of you professor."

'I just don't want the boy knowing about the stone.' Snape thought.

'Sure _that's_ the reason you offered,' spoke his inner-voice

'shut up,' he told it as he used his wand to tap the stones.

"Harry are you okay with this?" Hagrid asked the boy as Harry marveled at Diagon Alley..

Harry nodded. He was a little afraid of the man that was dressed all in black but there was something about him that was interesting. Everyone was fawning over him and this man was as cool and stable as the night. He treated him like he was anyone else not a orphan and not a celebrity. It was nice and he could put up with a twinge of fear if that meant that he got stay in the presence of someone that made him feel normal.

After Hagrid had walked toward a slightly leaning grayish building Severus took the boy to the various shops to get his first year supplies.

Harry was a bit spooked. Professor Snape hadn't spoken a word since Hagrid had left them. The man had hardly even looked at him. He had merely shrunk the items they had gotten with magic and moved on. He wanted to ask what he had done wrong because he was always doing something wrong but he was afraid. He didn't know how punishments worked in the wizarding world so he chose to stay silent until his body forced him to speak up as they exited the wand shop called Ollivander's.

Harry swallowed nervously. "Sir?"

Severus turned to the boy. He was surprised that it had taken the boy this long to speak up and he wondered what had finally made him speak.

The boy refused to meet his eye. "I have to go to the loo." Harry said quietly. When Snape said nothing after a few seconds Harry began to say that he could wait but just as he started to say this Snape spoke.

Severus sighed. The boy was as meek as a mouse. He has half expected the boy to be an annoying brat. "Well since we have all your supplies lets head to Fortescues there is a loo there and we will wait for Hagrid there as well."

"Yes sir," Harry said trying not to sound as relieved as he was.

A few minutes later they were entering the shop and Severus was guiding the boy into the toilets near the back of the shop.

Severus entered the loo as well. He wanted to be sure that there was nobody that would harm the boy and he also needed to wash his hands. The boy hardly noticed that he had entered because mere seconds after the stall door closed the child was going. 'Had he been that nervous to ask to stop to go to the loo?' Severus wondered.

'Who wouldn't be nervous around you?' asked the inner-voice.

Severus dried his hands and looked in the mirror. What was wrong with him? Why did he care what a Potter thought of him? Did he want Potter to like him? He was certain that he didn't want the boy to hate him. He had had enough of that last time. It made him tired to think that he would have to go through that again.

Speaking of the boy were was he? Surely he wasn't still in the stall it had been more than three minutes at least. As he was preparing to tell the boy to hurry it up he heard a flush and the boy emerged. When he saw that Snape was standing there he blushed and apologized before washing his hands.

They both left out and Severus went to the counter it had been a while since he had had ice-cream. "What do you want?" he asked Harry. He wasn't going to allow the boy to blab to his future friends that Snape had made him watch as he ate ice-cream in front of him.

"Vanilla," came the answer as the boy looked at him as though he had grown an extra head. What an ungrateful brat.

Once he had both bowls of vanilla ice-cream he walked over to a seat by the window and passed over one bowl to the boy. The child looked at it as thought it would blow up. When it didn't the child picked up the spoon and took a timid bite of the ice-cream. When the bowl stayed were it was and the world failed to end the boy took a bigger bite.

"Thank you Sir." Harry said after he had taking one more bite.

"Just eat it all." Severus said eating his own bowl.

The boy did more than just finish the scoop he cleaned the bowl the best he could without licking it and even then he looked as though he wanted to. Severus still had half of his bowl left. When those green eyes looked up at him he sighed. Using the back end of the spoon he cut the lump of ice-cream then he tipped the part he hadn't touched into the boy's bowl.

Harry's eyes lit up. He had wanted more but he knew that the man had already been too nice today to ask for anything else. "Are you sure?" Harry asked quietly looking at the bowl wistfully.

"Just eat it and be grateful."

"Yes Sir," Harry said and then he did something that Severus hadn't expected. He full on smiled at him and Severus could stop himself from cracking a hint of a grin.

Luckily Severus had no time to think on his reaction because of a tap on the window. There stood Hagrid with a snowy owl in a cage. Harry had finished the extra bit of ice-cream by then and he raced out the store to give Hagrid a hug.

Much to Severus's own disbelief he found that he was jealous of which of them, though, he couldn't be sure.

* * *

**A/n the end of chapter 3. This was getting to long so I ended here. Snape was almost sort of cuddly but I think I wrote him quite well. The next chapter will most likely contain Harry's sorting. I know that you will be surprised where he ends up. **

**R and R.**


	4. Better Be

**Chapter 4**

**Better be...**

By the time that Severus returned to the castle he had no time to brew his potions because it was pass midnight. For some strange reason it almost felt as though he was a child sneaking in pass his curfew. He knew that it was absurd for him to feel that way but he also knew that it felt that way because of the reason why he had stayed out so late.

After being in the Alley with Potter he had offered to escort the boy home. It had noting to do with the fact that he wanted to know more about the child and it had everything to do with the fact that he wanted to be sure that nobody would attack the boy. After all he had changed the future a bit meeting Potter like that. He highly suspected that it would have been Quirrell that he had meet if Severus hadn't gone to the Leaky Cauldron as he had.

Severus was still a little in shock from what had happened when he was taking the boy back to his relative's house on Privet Drive.

* * *

_The previous afternoon_

He had apparated about half a mile from the house so as not to raise suspicion in the neighborhood. Since it was the boy's first time being a side-along during such a process they rested on a conveniently placed bench.

"Sir?" the boy said quietly.

Severus found that he was rapidly tiring of the boy's meekness as well as the use of the word 'Sir.' but he really had no idea what to do about it though because he was not under any circumstance going to allow the boy to call him 'Severus' and he had a feeling that 'professor' in this case would annoy him just as much if not more than the word 'Sir'. He sighed and then he realized that the boy was still waiting on a response. The man nodded for the boy to ask his question.

The boy looked down at his feet and twiddled his fingers as he blushed slightly. "Do you think that you can keep a hold of my school things and Hedwig? I think it would be best." At Severus's look of surprise the boy said, "That's what I named my owl. I saw the name somewhere and it fits." Then he proceed to explain his request. "See my aunt and uncle really don't like magic and I think that they would destroy my things just to get me to fail and get kicked out of school."

Severus did not betray his shock outwardly but on the inside he was practically reeling. The muggles were that horrid to the child?

"What makes you think that they would do something like that boy?"

He saw the child flinch at the use of the word 'boy' and he made a mental note not to use it in that way again.

"They didn't tell me what really happened to my parents until Hagrid showed up and they didn't allow me to read my acceptance letter either."

"Very well I will hold on to you things but what will you do during the summer when you have homework?"

"I know I'm pretty dumb but I work hard so I'll do it on the night before I guess."

Severus was really starting to hate light bulb moments where this child was concerned. He had always thought it was laziness and arrogance that made Potter's summer homework get done in a manner that the best the boy could hope for would be an A. But now he was seeing things in a new light. The child had been doing all of his homework the night before _and_ showing up to classes on the first day. Certainly miss Granger might have given him some help but even then she would went to bed on time and then Potter had to finish all of it by himself and the child still had the nerve to call himself dumb.

Having nothing else to say he asked "Are you ready?"

Harry nodded and they walked toward the house that he where he was to stay until September.

When Potter entered the house Severus made a show of walking away. Then he turned back. He wanted to see if the guardians of Harry Potter were as horrid as he was starting to believe that they were. He ended up learning more than he wished to. The people in that house treated the child worse than a house elf was treated by a stereotypical pureblood family.

_End flashback_

* * *

Severus knew that he was going to have to do something about the way the child was treated before next summer. If it was bad now it would be worst when he went back after a year at Hogwarts.

The rest of the month before the feast he put Harry from his mind reluctantly. He had many potions to brew before the start of term and he could hardly afford the distraction. He also had to plan when and how he was going to get rid of Quirrell because he was not going to allow things to turn out the way they had before. The child needed to get stronger but not like that.

It was a great relief when September came around. He had devised a plan of action that he was sure would work without making people aware that he was the one behind it all. All he had to do was establish a decent relationship with Potter and he was well on his way to doing that.

When the children filed into the Great Hall Harry was of course by Ron whispering. Draco was glaring at Harry and Granger was prattling off about something or other, He took a breath this was the start of things. After the first few children he became slightly bored because they were all ending up in the same houses as they had before.

Then Minerva called out "Hermione Granger!"

After the sorting hat was placed on her head it waited a few seconds before calling out "Ravenclaw!" this was a surprise to Severus and he had to wonder what had changed for the hat to put her in Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor.

Draco approached the stool and he was sorted into Slytherin.

Neville was sorted into Hufflepuff yet another curious change.

Then it was Weasly's turn and he was sorted into Gryffindor.

When Harry was called up there was a great silence and then the hat was placed on his head. Minutes ticked by with the hat in deep concentration. Then at last it spoke but it didn't utter a house name. "I will sort him last" the hat said much to everyone's surprise.

Once all of the the others were sorted into the various houses Harry approached the stool once more. Minerva held up the hat above his head again. "Don't bother," said the hat. "All heads of Houses please assemble before me." requested the hat.

They professors looked mystified this had never happened before.

Once Snape, McGonagall, Sprout, and Flitwick were assembled in front of Harry, who was looking quite terrified, the sorting hat spoke once more. "He is as cunning as any Slytherin, Loyal as any Hufflepuff, Brave as a Gryffindor and Intelligent as a Ravenclaw. He is a marvel a true embodiment of the houses four. As such he will reside as a member of each House. Such is my sorting"

* * *

**A/n Did i surprise you? pls tell me if I did. Anyway this is a short chapter but I cut it here cause the next might be kind of long.  
**

**R and R**


End file.
